Two brief pilgrims' notes

1. Note from Linfoot describing telegram from Shoghi Effendi

About: This is a note from a letter dated March 23, 1955 by Charlotte Linfoot to Anna
Stevenson, attached to the pilgrim notes of Valera Allen, citing a cable
from Shoghi Effendi that he would be infallible in his choice of
successor. From copy by Anna Stevenson.

"We have had so many letters asking for clarification of the
statement in David Hofman's book about the relationship of the Hands of
the Cause and the appointment of the Guardian's successor. The Guardian
cabled us that the statement is incorrect in the book. He will be guided
to make the right selection and in this matter will be infallible, and we
must accept that or our whole understanding of the Will and Testament is
in error."

2. Note from Allen

About: This is a note from Valera Allen as contained in a letter written by Mrs.
Valera Allen to Miss Charlotte Linfoot, dated February 26, 1955, as copied by Anna Stevenson, January 25, 1956. Typos from original have been retained.

"........One evening he (the Guardian) came to dinner with the
Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh and a newspaper, the London times, Dec. 16th issue.
After dinner he began to speak about the article in the London Times and
later gave it to us to copy .....article entitled: "Dangers of Atomic
Explosions, Assessing the Risk"....."Mr. Wyatt asked the Prime Minister
whether he could state with greater exactness the number of atomic and
nuclear explosions that he was advised would make lethal the atmosphere
over substantial areas of the world; and whether he had now studied the
evidence that he (Mr. Wyatt) had submitted to him?"

The article stated Mr. Churchill had no further comment but the Guardian
was quite excited about it. He recalled the prophecy in the Tablets about
there being a strange and wonderful instrument in the world that had the
power to infect the atmosphere of the whole earth. This is not a direct
quote but he commented that neither "wonderful" nor "instrument" were
correct translations.....the word that should be used in the place of
"wonderful" was "astonsihing" and perhaps "material" could be used in
place of "instrument"..... Anyway he said this prophecy referred to the
atom or hydrogen bobmb. There were three stage in the development of the
bobmb. The first stage was the explosion at Hiroshima or Nagasaki - just
the immediate vicinity. The second was the development they were speaking
about in the London Times - where a "substantial" area of the earth's
atmosphere could be infected or contaminated. the third was the one
prophesied by Bahá'u'lláh where the atmosphere could be contaminated or
infected. He said now is the time to call attention to this prophecy of
Bahá'u'lláh's in our teaching work and to quote the article in the London
Times.....Perhaps someone at table that night has already sent this word
to you, as he wished the Americans to use this in their teaching.

Another thing he said of great importance was his emphatic explanation of
the infallibility of the Guardian. He said the Guardian was not only
infallible from the standpoint of interpretation of the Writings but he
was infallible in whatever he declared himself to be infallible - that was
the very nature of infallibility - that he knew when he was infallible. He
knew when he was receiving Divine Guidance. Even the designs of the
gardens and their development he did not know ahead of time, but each step
was revealed to him as he went along. And many other things were the same
way - whenever guidance was necessary it was there because he is under the
unerring guidance of the Blessed Perfection and "unto him all must turn".
Since hearing him speak on this subject one reads the Will and Testament
with new eyes and new understanding.